The present disclosure relates generally to systems, devices, and methods for supporting, stabilizing, and/or positioning a medical device, such as a transcatheter medical device.
Various medical procedures require the controlled use of medical devices. Typically, during such a medical procedure, a portion of a medical device must be positioned near a patient's body or near a surgical site during the medical procedure. Often, during such procedures, the medical device must be manipulated and repositioned, and in many instances one portion of the medical device must be moved relative to another portion of the medical device. On the other hand, inadvertent movement or unintended positioning of the medical device during a delicate medical procedure is undesirable and can be dangerous to the patient, particularly when there are portions of the medical device, such as a catheter or implant, that have been positioned within the body.
A medical device can be positioned on a stabilizer to hold it in place relative to a patient or surgical site and to reduce the risk of inadvertent movement of the medical device. However, when adjustment or repositioning of the medical device is required, the entire stabilizer must typically be picked up and repositioned, thereby reintroducing the very risks the stabilizer was intended to limit. In addition, movement of one portion of the medical device relative to another portion may be constrained by the stabilizer, requiring a surgeon or other user to de-couple the medical device or a portion of it from the stabilizer in order to make the desired adjustments. Such de-coupling reduces the desired stability intended by use of the stabilizer.